tawel طول
Algerian Darja · verb
“tawel” (طول) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning to be late, take long.
Meanings
- to be late, take long
- to lengthen, make longer
- to stay a long time
Usage
Tawwel, "طوّل", first means "to take time, to be late". The form ma ttawwelch, "don't be long, come back quickly", is very common. Used with an object, it means "to lengthen": tawwel lvideo, "make the video longer". Tawwel 3lina means "you kept us waiting". The formula rabbi ytawwel 3omrek, "may God prolong your life", is frequently used to thank someone. Do not confuse this verb with the noun ṭoul, "length", or with the phrase 3la ṭoul, "right away". For the reflexive form, one says ttawwel.
Example
ما تطوّلش، راني نستناك.
ma ttawwelch, rani nestannak.
“Don't be long, I'm waiting for you.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “tawel” but also “tawwel”, “twel”, “tawal” and “towel”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “tawel” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to take long, to be late”; “to lengthen, to prolong”: twwel in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “length, height (of a person)”; “straight ahead, directly”: toul in Tunisian.